Fishing at Kelly Lake, Jackson County, Colorado

• Overview

  Colorado holds Kelly Lake, in Jackson County. The country here is pine and birch. At roughly 19 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The closest town, Estes Park, is 29 miles distant. Beyond it, Granby at 37 miles and Laporte at 43 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Kelly Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Jackson County: brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Kelly Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 51°F on average, January about 18°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Look for the thaw near late May; the fishing lifts straight after. Expect the water usable from around late May until roughly early November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Kelly Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Island Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Kelly Lake for certain.